Sandy Dougherty, 85

Sandy Dougherty, age 85, of North Branch, Michigan passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Friday, December 5, 2025 at Stonegate Health Campus of Lapeer, MI. Sandra Marguerite Stricker was born April 14, 1940 in Dearborn, MI. She is the daughter of the late Norman and the late Esther Ida Stricker. Sandy grew up in Imlay City; Imlay City High School, Class of 1958. She married Lawrence ‘Larry’ Dougherty on February 2, 1963 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Imlay City. Larry died on October 20, 2006.

Sandy and Larry moved up to North Branch after they had retired in the early 2000’s. Sandy was a Custodian and Teachers’ Aid for 20+ years in Imlay City Community Schools (mostly working at the Weston Street and Borland Road Schools). As a youth, she worked as a soda-jerk at Ray’s Drug Store and a car-hop at the A& W Restaurant in Imlay City.

She loved spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, watching them play at their sporting events. Sandy enjoyed going up north to their cabin, fishing, playing cards with her friends (she was a very good Euchre player), and oil painting (she worked at Delannoy’s Studios in Imlay City painting the color on the photos back in the day). She was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Imlay City and participated with the North Branch Thrift Shop.

Sandy is survived by: her daughters, Denise (Ron) Hoff of Davison, MI and Melissa (Scott) Anglebrandt of Brown City, MI; son, Matthew (Michelle) Dougherty of Attica, MI; and her brother, Dennis Stricker of Tucson, Arizona. Also surviving are her grandchildren, Nathan (Lauren) Dougherty, Tyler (Alyssa) Dougherty, Ryan (Christene) Hoff, Chad (Darcy) Hoff, Austin (Nicole) Hoff, Madison (Nicholas Hobbins) Anglebrandt, Megan Anglebrandt; and great-grandchildren, Sofia, Addy, Brooks, Ainsley, Noah, Hadley, Leyton, Saylor, Asher, and Colton.

She was preceded in death by: her husband, Lawrence ‘Larry’ Dougherty and her sister-in-law, Diane Stricker.

The Funeral Service was held Tuesday, December 9, 2025 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 200 N. Cedar St., Imlay City, MI. The Reverend Sharon Smith, pastor of the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church officiated. Burial followed in Westlawn Cemetery, North Branch, MI .

Please be sure to sign our on-line register book at www.muirbrothersfh.com to share your memories and condolences with the Dougherty family.

Those wishing to make memorial contributions may direct them to the North Branch Thrift Shop.